A total of 560 Muslim pilgrims from Kwara State were airlifted to Saudi Arabia via Max Air yesterday.
The pilgrims, who were in high spirits, were airlifted from the Babatunde Idiagbon International Airport, Ilorin, at 12:40 p.m.
The executive secretary of the Kwara State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alh Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, thanked Allah for making the inaugural flight for the 2025 Hajj operation from Ilorin possible.
He also thanked the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for ensuring the pilgrims were transported to Saudi Arabia at the Babatunde Idiagbon International Airport, Ilorin.
He disclosed that 2,174 pilgrims from the state would be airlifted in four flight schedules.
The chairman of the Board, Professor Mashood Mahmood Jimba, alongside the Amirul-Hajj and Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, Oba Ismail Yahaya Alebiosu, urged the pilgrims to exhibit exemplary conduct and represent the state and the country with dignity throughout their stay in Saudi Arabia.
A government delegation, including the senior adviser/counsellor to the governor, Alh Saadu Salahu, Dr Ghali Alaaya, special adviser on special duties, Alh AbdulRazaq Jiddah and the senior special assistant on Religion (Islam), Alh Ibrahim Danmaigoro, were at the airport to bid the pilgrims farewell.